The Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific (NACA) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) are pleased to make widely available Aquaculture in the Third Millennium, the Technical Proceedings of the Conference on Aquaculture in the Third Millennium. It is the third major report from the Conference; the others are the Bangkok Declaration and Strategy for Aquaculture Development Beyond 2000 that was published in April 2000 and the Report of the Conference, published in December 2000. As with the previous two reports, these Technical Proceedings are available on the Websites of NACA and FAO.

Together, the three reports present a potent source of knowledge of the past, present and future status of world aquaculture, in-depth discussion of experience and ideas on how to reach the desired goals for the future of aquaculture, and inspiration to achieve this potential. Preparing and organizing the Conference was an undertaking buoyed significantly by the enthusiasm and cooperation that marked everyone’s efforts and input on an international scale.

The Conference was held in Bangkok between 20-25 February, 2000, and generously hosted by the Government of Thailand with major support from six organizations and agencies whose names and corporate logos appear on the back cover of this and the previous two publications. In addition to our official hosts and supporting agencies, many others, too numerous to mention individually, helped in countless heartwarming ways. We reiterate our deep appreciation for all the assistance given by each and every person, group and organization that enabled the Conference to be held successfully, and are grateful to everyone who took part. Your participation made it possible to achieve its immediate purpose of launching the pursuit of the long-term objectives outlined throughout these Technical Proceedings.

Regardless of the length of time it may take to realize our goals for aquaculture in the third millennium, the journey starts with the first step. NACA and FAO have taken those initial steps. The day after the Conference, Asian government representatives to the Governing Council of NACA met to map the immediate and long-term actions suggested in the Bangkok Declaration and Strategy. Among the tasks achieved was the formulation of NACA’s Work Programme for 2001-2005, which incorporates salient recommendations of the Declaration and Strategy. Likewise, FAO convened a meeting at its regional headquarters in Asia-Pacific immediately after the Conference. This included aquaculture experts from many parts of the world, who proposed constitution of a sub-committee on aquaculture within the FAO Committee on Fisheries (COFI), and outlined ways to implement the Conference recommendations, particularly those with inter-regional implications.

These modest first steps are intended to pave the way for many more initiatives to be taken to get the objectives outlined in the Bangkok Strategy “on the road” and “into the water”. In the one-year period during which these Technical Proceedings were being edited, many more steps have been initiated. As with the implementation of the Millennium Conference, NACA and FAO, in cooperation with other concerned organizations, institutions and agencies, have started to forge ahead to assist aquaculture stakeholders, especially the governments and people who depend on aquaculture for their livelihoods, to achieve the social, economic and environmental sustainability goals embodied in the Bangkok Declaration and Strategy. Our optimism, that these goals are realistic and attainable, is firmly founded on the dedication and drive shown by all sectors involved: farmer cooperatives and agencies, regulators, policymakers and planners, scientists, workers of non-governmental organizations, and other aquatic resource users. This optimism is further reinforced by a new wave of international collaboration, which clearly reflects increased recognition that sustainable use of our aquatic resources can only be achieved through vigorous and combined efforts.

These Technical Proceedings reflect this unity of effort. They also emphasize the openness of communication, singularity of purpose, and wisdom to adapt to dynamic aquatic systems and social conditions. It will be this flexibility, guided by principles founded on the common good, that will allow us to make optimal and sustained use of the aquatic environment, to which we are linked and on which we, and all who follow us, depend.

Since the FAO Technical Conference on Aquaculture held in Kyoto in 1976, aquaculture has gone through major changes, ranging from small-scale household activities to large-scale commercial farming. Over the past three decades, the sector has expanded, diversified, intensified and advanced technologically. As a result, its contribution to food production has increased significantly. A large proportion of global aquaculture production comes from small-scale producers in developing countries, especially in Asia. It significantly contributes to food security, poverty alleviation and social well-being in many countries. The contributions of aquaculture to trade, both local and international, have also increased over recent decades and its share in the generation of income and employment for national economic development has increased - globally.

Recognizing the growing importance of aquaculture as the contribution of capture fisheries would be stabilized or even decreased in the near future, FAO has collaborated with NACA (Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia and the Pacific) in organizing the Conference on Aquaculture in the Third Millennium in Bangkok in February 2000. The Conference which was hosted by the Government of Thailand reviewed the progress made since the Kyoto Conference, present status of aquaculture and discussed future opportunities and role that aquaculture could play within the context of future development, from the local to the global level. The Conference adopted the Bangkok Declaration and Strategy on Aquaculture Development Beyond 2000 which undoubtedly became major guidelines for policy-makers and aquaculture operators worldwide, especially those in the developing countries.

The Declaration addresses the role of aquaculture in alleviating rural poverty and improving livelihoods and food security while maintaining the integrity of biological resources and the sustainability of the environment. The Strategy comprises 17 elements that focus on measures that governments, the private sector and other concerned organizations can incorporate into their development programmes for the aquaculture sector. It also highlights the need for regional and inter-regional cooperation and coordination to assist in its implementation.

In order to assist Member States of FAO in implementing these Declaration and Strategy, the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific has assigned Mr. Damrong Silpachai, a well recognized Thai expert on aquaculture, to look into various issues as given in the Declaration and Strategy and recommend action required to support its implementation by the Member States. Specific case studies are also conducted in Bangladesh and the Philippines which will be published in due course. It is our sincere hope that this document would elaborate further the importance and future role of aquaculture in the region and in particular the need to strengthen cooperation and coordination among concerned agencies/organizations for sustainable aquaculture development.

Report of the Conference on Aquaculture in the Third Millennium (the Bangkok Conference on Aquaculture) was held on 20-25 February 2000 in Bangkok, Thailand, for the purpose of developing a strategy for aquaculture development in the next 20 years. It was a sequel to the Kyoto Conference on Aquaculture, which was organized by FAO in May-June 1976. The Bangkok Conference was attended by 549 participants representing all stakeholder groups in aquaculture. The participants were members of more than 200 organizations and came from 66 countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe, the former Soviet Republics, the Near East, North America, and Oceania.

The Bangkok Conference crafted the document Aquaculture Development Beyond 2000: the Bangkok Declaration and Strategy, which has been published separately by NACA/FAO. The Declaration addresses the role of aquaculture in alleviating rural poverty, improving livelihoods and food security, and maintaining the integrity of natural and biological resources and the sustainability of the environment. The Strategy comprises 17 elements that focus on measures that governments, the private sector and other concerned organizations can incorporate into their development programmes for the aquaculture sector. It highlights the need for regional and interregional cooperation to assist in its implementation.

This Report of the Bangkok Conference on Aquaculture, the second publication arising from the Millennium Conference, includes the detailed recommendations of the fourteen thematic conference sessions. The third publication will be the Technical Proceedings of the Bangkok Conference.

The Bangkok Conference was organized by NACA and FAO and hosted by the Government of Thailand. It was held at the Central Plaza Hotel in Bangkok, along with the Aquaculture and Seafood Fair 2000, which was seen by more than 3000 visitors.